Two words: "Dirty Grandpa."

That was probably the pitch meeting, a movie called, well, "Dirty Grandpa." A movie that's been announced but no one knows much about except it involves two other words: Road Trip. Road trip with Dirty Grandpa.

And no, to my knowledge, Al Lewis has nothing to do with it. I just wanted a reason to post a picture of Grandpa Munster.

Here's more of very little from Coming Soon:

"Universal has purchased a spec script for an R-rated comedy entitled 'Dirty Grandpa,' says a story at The Hollywood.

"The script, which details a road trip between a guy and his raunchy grandpa, arrives from newcomer John Phillips. Barry Josephson ('Life as We Know It') is slated to produce."
 

One thing I know, there's always dissent when it comes to Oscar hosts. There's always write-ups loving the ceremony, hating it, feeling indifference, and there's always write-ups discussing how it could be improved upon next year. Always.

But this year, it seems it needed to be dismissed from the top -- the Academy.

I'm not sure why this matters or is news since, due to a certain celebrity whose decided to take his problems and turn them into a "Network" sized Howard Beale breakdown and seize the airwaves and internet, holding them/us in his unprecedented "bi-winning" thrall, no one's even talking about it anymore.

Regardless, here's the skinny from Studio Briefing:

"The selection of James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host this year’s Oscars telecast was a mistake, a high-ranking member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has acknowledged. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the member, who asked not to be identified, said, 'A lot of us said Franco, who is a good actor, is the wrong guy when it was announced. … We questioned the TV value of both hosts, and it turned out to be right.'

"The member also complained about allowing the show’s producers to select the hosts, without any input from the Academy’s board of governors. But Academy President Tom Sherak disagreed, saying 'When you hire producers, you have to have confidence they are going to put on the show you are looking for.' Yet Sherak himself voiced discontent with the performance of the two hosts, remarking that 'the chemistry seemed to be off' between them and adding: 'The problem is, in the past when you have a comic, that comic can play off what happens on the show. … I think that was missing. I think they were doing their job. Franco is a very charming guy, but sometimes you need a comic to make fun of things.'"
 

So you have the mind power of limitless capabilities, and you decide to, well, read plot description (via MovieFone) below:

"Aspiring author Eddie Morra (Cooper) is suffering from chronic writer's block, but his life changes instantly when an old friend introduces him to NZT, a revolutionary new pharmaceutical that allows him to tap his full potential. With every synapse crackling, Eddie can recall everything he has ever read, seen or heard, learn any language in a day, comprehend complex equations and beguile anyone he meets--as long as he keeps taking the untested drug.

"Soon Eddie takes Wall Street by storm, parlaying a small stake into millions. His accomplishments catch the eye of mega-mogul Carl Van Loon (De Niro), who invites him to help broker the largest merger in corporate history. But they also bring Eddie to the attention of people willing to do anything to get their hands on his stash of NZT."

OK ... so in Bradley Cooper's (and Robert De Niro's) newest movie, "Limitless," this NZT stuff makes him rush off to ... Wall Street not ... I don't know ... Washington D.C. or to write the great American novel. Well, maybe it does. I do need to see the movie first.  And I realize he has to make millions (because most of us would choose to be a rich douchebag if we had unlimited mind powers) but well, I guess there's a moral to the story. The drug has side effects. Of course it does. Watch a clip here.

 

So, this better explains the white suits. They danced! They kissed! And we missed it!

Ah well.

Here's the details from WENN:

"An Oscars producer has denied deliberately censoring a kiss between presenters Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin during the Academy Awards telecast.

"The 'No Country for Old Men' co-stars appeared onstage last Sunday to present a trophy together, greeting one another by dancing and exchanging a kiss.

"Home viewers did not see their embrace as the cameras cut to an extended shot of Bardem's wife Penélope Cruz in the audience, a move which sparked speculation TV bosses wanted to hide the actors' smooch.

"But Bruce Cohen, one of two producers for the show, is adamant he would have been thrilled to broadcast the kiss, insisting it would have made a 'great TV moment.'

"He tells AfterElton.com, 'It [the dance and the kiss] was unscripted, and the plan in the [outside broadcast] truck was always to cut to Penélope in the audience applauding Josh's and Javier's introduction, so that is what happened, just as they were starting to dance ... By the time we cut back from her close-up, Josh and Javier were walking to the podium.'"

 

This just in from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures: Diane Lane will star in the upcoming "Superman."

Here's the press release:

"Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Oscar®-nominated actress Diane Lane will play Martha Kent, the only mother Clark Kent has ever known, in the new Superman movie to be directed by Zack Snyder.

"Snyder stated, “This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman.  We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination.”

"Lane will star with Henry Cavill, who was recently announced as the new Clark Kent/Superman."
 

Today is the late, great Mr. Arnaz's birthday and I'm wishing him a happy one. The man had quite a life -- leaving Cuba with his father for political exile in Miami (his family's fortune was destroyed and his father banned from Cuba under the Batista regime), teenage Arnaz was discovered by band leader Xavier Cugat, and was soon leading his own band in Miami Beach.

From the late 1930’s-1940’s, he rose in prominence as a spectacularly talented drummer, singer and band leader of Afro-Cuban music. And then he met Lucy -- they then revolutionized television.

Happy Birthday and ... Babalu!


 

Oh no ... a franchise? A "Bladerunner" franchise? And without Ridley Scott?

I don't think this is going to fly with all of the rabid "Bladerunner" fans, those who argue passionately over whether or not Harrison Ford is, or is not a replicant. Well, now, at least they have more to argue about -- and actually agree upon.

Here's the details from Coming Soon:

"It appears that a sequel to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is on the way. Alcon Entertainment has set plans to develop a franchise based on the original 1982 film and are in final negotiations to secure the rights (which, interestingly enough, would not allow them to remake or reboot the original). The original press release explains:

"Warner Bros-based financing and production company Alcon Entertainment ('The Blind Side,' 'The Book of Eli') co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, in the most significant property acquisition negotiations in the Company’s 13-year history, are in final discussions to secure film, television and ancillary franchise rights to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic 1982 science-fiction thriller 'Blade Runner.'

"Alcon is negotiating to secure the rights from producer-director Bud Yorkin, who will serve as producer on 'Blade Runner' along with Kosove and Johnson. Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will co-produce. Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers."

 

Good news! Charlie Kaufman is re-teaming with Spike Jonze. They haven't worked together in nine years since "Adaptation" in 2002, and though I loved Kaufman's own direction in "Synecdoche, New York," I've missed their collaborations.

Here's more from Cinema Blend:

"Back in December it was announced that after nine years apart, Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze would be re-teaming to write and direct, respectively, a new project. Their third collaboration together and first since 2002's Adaptation, it was reported that they were shopping their idea to independent financiers while putting everything together. Now it appears that they have found a backer.

"Deadline is reporting that Megan Ellison, who recently made movie fans blissfully happy by offering to back Paul Thomas Anderson's next two projects, is currently negotiating a deal to acquire the new Kaufman-Jonze project for her Annapurna Pictures label. The report also sheds some light on the plot of the project, calling it a satire about global leaders who 'gather to figure out all the seismic events that will take place in the worlds, from oil prices to wars that will be waged.'"